Days And Nights (Book of Life and Maya and the Three One Shots)

Sneaking Out And Staying In

After a terrifying moment with Mictlan, Zatz sneaks out that night, wanting to be with his aunt. This is kinda like a sequel to the last chapter, just some Zatz and Chaska fluff.

Zatz had stayed awake long after his father had tucked him in. 

The young boy kept replaying that moment with Mictlan in his head. Even after he was consoled by his father, he was still terrified. 

There weren't many gods in the Underworld who were nice to Zatz, many of them treated him as something worthless.

He still wasn't sure what he did wrong. His father had reassured him that he did nothing, but based on how his father was the only one who helped him, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he did something.

While Camazotz's words made Zatz feel better, it wasn't enough at that moment. The only person he wanted to see was a good distance away. 

His fierce, protective, caring, and sometimes scary, aunt Chaska.

And the one time he felt like he needed her, he wasn't able to visit. 

But he needed her to hold and comfort him, to have more reassurance from someone else who cares about him.

He knew just the act of leaving his bed was dangerous and that Chaska lived a good distance away from where he was.

But he just had to see her.

As quietly as he could, Zatz crawled out of bed and made his way to the window.

He looked behind him to make sure no one saw him. When he saw no one, he looked down at how high he was from the ground. 

Zatz was still learning how to use his powers and he hasn't fully gotten the hang of turning into a bat yet. Whenever he practiced, he'd usually jump off an elevated surface, but never one of this height.

But if it was to see Chaska, he was gonna try. 

Zatz stood up on the window's edge, his heart pounding in his chest. 

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes tightly, and let himself fall, commanding himself to turn into a bat.

For a few seconds, he didn't feel anything. But after a moment, the rapid rushing of air in his face stopped as though he was suddenly caught. 

He cracked his eye open, only to open it fully when he saw that he had transformed into a bat, flying a mere inches above the ground. 

After briefly celebrating his transformation, Zatz began the long journey to Chaska's home.

...

Chaska was outside her home watching the night sky with Estrella at her feet.

She preferred the night, as it was a wolf's time to thrive. She sometimes preferred to simply enjoy the night and its beauty.

In the distance, Chaska saw something in the sky.

She wasn't able to tell what it was at first, but as it got closer, she started to see more clearly. 

It was a small bat who seemed like it was having trouble keeping itself in the air, like a bird who had just learned how to fly. 

When it was close enough, she caught the scent of the bat, her blood running cold at what she smelled.

"Zatz." She realized. 

She and Estrella ran in Zatz's direction, going faster when she saw Zatz start to fall from the sky.

They managed to get to him in time, Zatz landing on Estrella's back.

"Zatzy, mi sobrino." Chaska said. 

She gathered Zatz in her arms as he transformed back into his true form. His forehead was covered in sweat and was passed out from exhaustion.

"Oh..."

Chaska brought Zatz inside and made him comfortable. She tucked him in the bed she had for him and wiped his head with a cool rag, a small fire was started for extra warmth. 

Zatz had woken up not long after she put him in bed.

"Zatz, you know I'm always happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" Chaska asked as she continued to dab his head with the rag, "It's the middle of the night and you're inexperienced with your powers. You know better than to come out here alone."

"I know." Zatz said timidly, "I just wanted to see you."

She noticed his eye was slightly puffy as though he's been crying, which told her that something was wrong. 

"Did something happen?" She asked as she smoothed his hair.

Zatz looked down for a second before saying, "I was trying to practice my powers. But that time, it didn't work. I fell in front of... Mictlan."

Chaska's eyes went wide at the mention of Mictlan. She was ready to jump out of hiding just to confront the monster for terrorizing her nephew. 

"He asked what I was doing. I said I was just practicing. He told me to do it again in front of him." Zatz's eye started to tear up, "It still didn't work. He picked me up and said I was a disgrace and an embarrassment to the gods, that I shouldn't exist. Papa came and took me away from him."

Zatz sat up and tightly hugged Chaska, "What did I do wrong?" 

Chaska hugged him back, stroking his hair to comfort him. She knew this was Mictlan's way of scaring the poor boy, using his insecurities against him.

"You did absolutely nothing wrong." She said, "He knows you're still learning."

"But it didn't work."

Chaska pulled away and wiped his tears, "Well, you flew here all by yourself. It worked this time."

When Zatz's face didn't change, she said, "You have a great strength and power within you. You're going to become a great warrior. That scares him, so he thought he could scare you. Remember this, Zatzy; your persistence is like the moonlight lighting your path to greatness."

After a bit, a gleam returned to Zatz's eye as he smiled back at her, "Thank you, Tía Chaska." 

"You're welcome." Chaska smiled as she hugged the young boy warmly.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Of course. But you know I have to return you home come sunrise." She layed Zatz down, tucking him into bed.

"Please don't tell Papa."

"Now what kind of aunt would I be if I told your father?"

Zatz smiled as Chaska kissed his head, wrapping an arm around him.

They both fell asleep together, Zatz snuggling Chaska's tail, happy to be with his aunt again.